FOX Finally Renewed Murder in a Small Town… And I’m Really Excited

Many broadcast networks have been busy making final decisions and renewals for the 2026-2027 season, with the official upfronts only days away.

FOX heard our pleas and officially renewed Murder in a Small Town for a third season only hours after I originally wrote this.

We weren’t overly worried since we’d heard filming had started in March. In Canada, this type of blue-sky procedural will film from March through June along the coastline.

(Kailey Schwerman/FOX)

We’re so excited that Murder in a Small Town returns for another season.

Like FOX, I’ve appreciated the beauty of the Sunshine Coast, the optimism of the main characters, and the romance of Karl and Cassandra.

Murder in a Small Town Season 3 will likely explore moving their relationship to the next level, and if she accepts his proposal.

Murder in a Small Town is adding another well-known actor to its cast as an adversary for Karl and Cassandra. It worked in Season 2 with Marcia Gay Harden as Mayor Holman.

This time, Peter Gallagher (The O.C.) joins the cast. He’ll play Rod Finlayson, a charismatic but unreliable man who shakes up Karl and Cassandra’s lives when he arrives on his boat.

(Courtesy of FOX)

We don’t know much more, but I hope he’s Karl’s estranged father, or connected to him.

It’s an arc we need to dive into more. Karl only recently opened up about his childhood. No matter what, it’ll be exciting to have Gallagher on the series.

I enjoy Murder in a Small Town because it’s a lighter, more refreshing procedural.

So many procedurals focus on violent, gritty cases that it’s nice to feature some that still have messy, passionate crimes, in-depth character arcs, and even romance.

The Murder in a Small Town showrunner and EP built the series around Karl Alberg and Cassandra Lee’s relationship, which is one of the main reasons why it must return.

(Kailey Schwerman/FOX)

Leaving the Murder in a Small Town Season 2 finale on a cliffhanger with that proposal was genius since it set many stories in motion and practically begged for a renewal.

Naturally, many Karlandra fans want an answer, but there’s so much more than that.

While Holly has accepted Cassandra into their lives, the series could explore how that dynamic would shift if Cassandra moved in permanently.

I’d also like to see how Steph handles the news since she doesn’t live there full-time.

The series also only scratched the surface of Cassandra and Karl’s family, as well as the rest of the Gibsons’ team. 

(Kailey Schwerman/FOX)

I like them, but I need to know more to truly care about and invest in this team.

Let’s learn more about Karl and Cassandra’s childhoods and why they left and returned to the Sunshine Coast.

The series briefly explored Cassandra’s past with a troublesome stalker, but it was brushed aside again, except that she disliked Karl looking into it.

Something that traumatic needs to follow her longer and be part of her relationship history. Make it clear why she’s afraid to be in a relationship and why she needs to be in control of her life.

There’s so much more that the series can do, especially now that Cassandra is the interim Mayor following Mayor Holman’s stepping down.

(Kailey Schwerman/ FOX)

It could be simpler to get approval for things when his girlfriend is the Mayor, or more complicated because of a conflict of interest. We can’t wait to watch.

Besides Karl and Cassandra, the series needs to invest more time into developing the other cops, like Sergeant Sid and Corporal Jackson.

We finally saw glimpses of Sid’s life at home with his daughters in Murder in a Small Town Season 2, but we wanted more.

It felt like almost everyone on the show has a past with demons to chase, but there isn’t enough time to explore them until the characters hit rock bottom, like Laila losing her sobriety after shooting someone.

(FOX/Screenshot)

Increasing the episode count to 10 helped, but Murder in a Small Town really needs 12-13 episodes to fully explore character arcs.

We’re excited to return to Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast this fall.

Over to you, TV Fanatics. Are you relieved and excited we’re getting another season of Murder in a Small Town? What would you like to see in Season 3?

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.

Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you. 

• While there has been much debate, the best procedurals include both character arcs and weekly cases. Check out our post.

• FOX’s renewal race is heating up, with Memory of a Killer facing an uncertain future and Doc poised for another season.

• Murder in a Small Town Season 2 improved greatly, but a few things need tweaking before a potential Season 3. Let’s discuss.

You can view the original article HERE.